Hooked on Rheum with Luana Colloca, MD, PhD, MS
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From a young age, I was fascinated by the human body and its complexities. Growing up in a small village in southern Italy, I had an insatiable curiosity about science and how we experience pain, heal and recover.
However, more than that, I had a desire to help people, and to find solutions for those suffering from conditions that did not have easy answers. This blend of scientific curiosity and empathy for others led me down the path to becoming a doctor-scientist.
During my second year of medical school, I discovered my passion for neurophysiology, and I realized that studying the brain’s role in pain would become my life’s work. I was intrigued by how subjective the experience of pain is, how it can vary so greatly from one person to the next, and how our brain plays such a critical role in this.
It was during my PhD in neuroscience that I began exploring the placebo effect, specifically in the context of patients undergoing deep brain stimulation. Watching the brain’s neurons change their spike patterns after a sham administration of a drug fascinated me. It showed me that expectations, not just pharmacology, could shape real physiological outcomes.
As I delved deeper into placebo research, I became increasingly concerned about the opioid epidemic. I wondered: Could we identify those patients who might not need such potent medications for pain relief, relying instead on the power of their own expectations? Could understanding placebo mechanisms help us reduce opioid misuse?
This desire to translate scientific research into real-world solutions is what drives me as a doctor-scientist. The ability to bridge the gap between patient care and rigorous scientific exploration is incredibly fulfilling. Through my work, I strive to not only advance our understanding of the brain’s capacity to regulate pain, but also to offer alternative approaches to pain management that could reduce opioid dependence and improve patient outcomes.
I chose this path because I wanted to make a tangible difference in both the clinic and the lab. Every discovery we make in neuroscience has the potential to transform lives, and being a doctor-scientist allows me to contribute on both fronts. My journey is about understanding the human experience, applying science to heal, and always pushing the boundaries of what we know about pain, hope and recovery.
Luana Colloca, MD, PhD, MS
Professor, Department of Pain and Translational Symptom Science
MPower Professor of the University of Maryland Strategic Partnership
Director, Placebo Beyond Opinions Center